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Shut down the DDA? Commissioner Mitchell says city should consider

Former mayor Lois Frankel was extremely tight with Downtown Development Authority officials, and often praised the DDA for its work downtown.

But with Frankel gone, Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell — at the very first commission meeting without Frankel — called for a workshop to evaluate the DDA and CRA, mainly to find out if some of the DDA’s functions could be performed by the CRA.

DDA Chairman Lewis

Commissioner Mitchell

On Friday, Mitchell even said “it’s possible” the city could operate without the DDA, which charges an additional tax to downtown businesses and residents in order to enhance downtown and bring more business to Clematis and the surrounding streets.

Mitchell pointed to examples where she believes DDA money is being used for the wrong purposes, including dumpsters for downtown businesses (a service Mitchell said the city should provide) and monthly meet and greets with downtown residents.

“It’s a cocktail party for one of the businesses being paid for by tax payer DDA dollars,” Mitchell said. “That is not what that money is there for.”

“The DDA, which is a tax to the businesses and residents who live in the downtown, is there to enhance — which is kind of loosely defined — enhance business and values of everything inside the boundaries of the DDA,” Mitchell said. “There are things that the DDA does that I think the CRA could do, and I want to get a really good understanding of exactly who’s doing what, what the plan is for next year, and where those resources are best utilized and under who’s leadership and dollars should that come.”

DDA chairman Bruce Lewis said he is looking forward to the workshop.

“I don’t think (Mitchell) really understands how we work together,” Lewis said. “We are preparing to do a workshop with the CRA board and my board.”

“Of course it’s absolutely possible that you could have a city without a DDA, but I don’t know how the downtown would manage itself,” Lewis said. “We manage the downtown district, track and retain businesses, increase the tax rolls and provide programming for our constituency base. You’re telling me the city can do that? I have my doubts about that.”

Mayor Jeri Muoio agreed to hold a workshop after the District 1 commission vacancy is appointed on April 27. While the DDA runs its own business, its board is appointed by the mayor. Lewis said the board wants to continue to work under Muoio, and he said he has received no indication that Muoio wants to shake up the board.

“Last month, we took internal polling at my request, and we had the office manager pull all of the current board members who were up for their term ending in June,” Lewis said. “All of them resoundingly, without hesitation, wants to serve another year, and that’s a direct compliment to the new mayor. I talked to her, mentioned it, and she said ‘that’s nice.'”

One uncertainty is the DDA’s executive director position. Melissa Wohlust, the current executive director, has been out for more than a year on long term disability. Raphael Clemente was officially elevated to interim executive director several months ago.

Lewis said Wohlust has until June to return to work or else the position will be open.

“She either has to come back in June fully capable or we’re going to have to make some serious decisions,” Lewis said.